Sprayable water-free alcoholic polyvinylpyrrolidone hair preparation



SPRAYABLE WATER-F REE ALCOHOLIC POLY- VINYLPYRROLIDONE HAIR PREPARATION Maurice L. Spiegel, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to La Maur Inc., Minneapolis, Minn, a corporation of Minnesota No Drawing. Application July 31, 1952 Serial No. 301,989

9 Claims. (Cl. l67-87.1)

This invention relates to a hair styling composition and more particularly to a composition for application to the surface of hair which will give it luster and retain it in the desired set, and to a methodof preparation thereof.

Prior to my discovery, many preparations have been proposed for setting the hair and for causing the hair to have a desired degree of luster or brilliance. One class of preparations which have been extensively used are lacquers, principally shellac solutions, which are combed or applied to the surface of the hair which has been pre- 2,8'll.,l6i Patented Jan. 27., I959 Another object is to be able to provide controlled tlexi bility of the film by combining a plasticizer with the other materials forming the composition.

In order to apply the film of polymerized N-vinyl pyrrolidone to the surface of the hair and achieve the desired results in a short time, I may dissolve the product in a quick drying solvent, such as ethyl alcohol. Since polymerized N-vinyl pyrrolidone is soluble in both alcohol and water, it is not critical if there is a negligible quantity of water present in the alcohol. However, where my hair styling composition is to be used in a spray-type container having self-generated pressure, I have found that it is possible to use an alcoholic solution of the polymerized N-vinyl pyrrolidone with dichlorodifluoromethane (or related compounds and mixtures thereof commonly known in the trade as Freon) as the propellant.

It is known that dichlorodifluoromethane is a nontoxic and useful propellant for. many spray compounds, such as insect sprays, deodorants, etc. However, dichlorodifluoromethane is insoluble in water and, therefore, will not be miscible in any appreciable extent with compounds containing water as a component. I have found that by dissolving the polymerized N-vinyl pyrrolidone compound in absolute alcohol, I can form a solution which is solu le in diehlorodifluoromethane. 1

In order to make the preparation according to a representative formula, I dissolve from 4 to 8 ounces of powformedto the required style and which lacquer will dry to v a hard surface film which gives the hair a sculptural appearance. The hair has a high degree of luster but again cannot bedisturbed without cracking and breaking the film. 'Furthermore, the lacquers maybe insoluble in water and require considerable combing and brushing together with washing or other'chemical treatment to remove entirely the lacquer film preparatory to a new application. The use of all these previous setting compositions thus entail considerable effort in the application and removal thereof and much time is consumed in their use, especially in time required for drying the gum preparations which are placed in water suspension.

In thefcourse of experimentation with the view of finding a hair styling preparation which lacked either the sticky characteristics of the natural gums, or the cracking and breaking characteristics of shellac, I discovered that the compound known as polyvinylpyrrolidone would fur-' nish a beautiful luster to hair,.and also the desired styling qualities without the detrimental characteristics found in the priorfart substances. Polyvinylpyrrolidone is a polymerization product of the N-vinyl pyrrolidone monomer having the following formula:

plied to the. hair by combining said material in a solution with mutually compatible substances that will permit application to the hair by spraying.

dered solid polyvinylpyrrolidone with sufficient 200 proof (absolute) ethyl alcohol to make one gallon of solution and then chill the resultant solution below room temperature. Then, I add 105 ounces of dichlorodifluoromethane which has been chilled below its boiling temperature (-29 C. to --'35 C.) and immediately place the mix-- ture in its bottled container before it can vaporize or take on moisture from the air.

It is understood, of course, that there is considerable latitude in the proportions of solvent which I may employ,

and that there is, likewise, latitude in the percentage of solid polyvinylpyrrolidone which is placed in solution. I do not desire, however, to exceed 8% of solids in the alcohol fraction where dichlorodifiuoromethane is employed. A greater percentage of solids is apt to cause gumming of the orifice in the spray container, and may offer difficulty in applying an even film, where the operator does not exercise care. On the other hand, I do not prefer to have an alcohol solution which is more dilute than 4% of solids, since the solvent will be unnecessarily excessive and merely wasted in achieving the desired film upon the hair. Since quick drying is one of the advantages which I obtain it is, therefore, not desirable to require too great an amount of solvent in order to leave the proper thickness of film upon the hair.

I achieve a still further advantage with my unusual hair styling composition by not only furnishing a film with a useful flexibility, but may even further control the :'asticity or flexibility of the film to suit individual tastes by the addition of a plasticizer. Thus, by adding a small amount of di-ethyl phthalate, normally in the order of of 1 percent, I can materially increase the flexibility or plasticity of the applied film. It is, of course, not desirable to make the film so pliable as not to function properly in setting the hair. The amount of di-ethyl phthalate above mentioned will give a very good quality of flexibility to the hair under average conditions. Where a stiffer film is desired as will more nearly approach the lacquer type of appearance, the di-ethyl phthalate may be omitted. Where the opposite result is desired the diethyl phthalate content may be accordingly increased.

An important property of my composition is its ability to become softened with a slight amount of water which, upon drying, will again leave the film in its lustrous condition and with the desired setting property. Thus, where a lady has styled her hair and through mishap the coiffurc becomes disarranged, it is possible for her to brush or comb in a slight amount of water for dampening without requiring a long drying period, and after rearranging, the hair will immediately resume its set and luster. The foregoing has been accomplished without the necessity of completely removing the composition, and then reapplying after a careful and tedious preconditioning of the hair.

Since the polyvinylpyrrolidone cannot be applied to the hair in any other fashion than from a solution, prefcrably of a quick drying nature, it is an important adjunct to my composition that the proper method be employed in the preparation of the material which will be immediately applicable to the hair to form the film hav 'ing the unusual characteristics above noted and without further attention thereto. Such method consists in dissolving polyvinylpyrrolidone in a quick drying solution having a non-toxic nature.

Of the solvents tried, I prefer alcohols and particularly ethyl alcohol. Where my method of preparation is for the purpose of obtaining a self-propelling composition, I mix mutually the polyvinylpyrrolidone with absolute alcohol and dichlorodifluoromethane. It is advantageous, because of the low boiling point of the dichlorodifiuoromethane, to first mix the polyvinylpyrrolidone with ab solute alcohol, then add the propellant subsequently.

It may thus be seen that I have provided a hair styling composition having unusual properties in lusterizing and setting the hair which may be quickly and easily applied and yetv which may be quickly and easily removed, the composition being both water soluble and alcohol soluble, and additionally soluble in the self generating propellant, dichlorodifiuoromethane, when mutually dissolved in the anhydrous alcohol. It is also to be noted that my invention comprises two extremely simple interdependent parts,

- namely, the composition itself and the preparation of an immediately applicable solution whereby the solid compound polyvinylpyrrolidone may be transformed into a beautiful and highly useful film upon the hair.

It is understood, of course, that I may make certain substitutions in the solvents disclosed by way of example in the foregoing specification and certain changes in the proportions of my composition without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A substantially water-free sprayable liquid hair styling preparation for applying to the surface of the hair for setting the lusterizing the same, comprising polyvinyl-- pyrrolidone, alcohol, and a propellant selected from the group consisting of fluorochloromethanes and fiuorochloroethanes.

2. A hair styling preparation for spraying under selfgenerated pressure upon the surface of the hair for setting and lusterizing thereof, composed of a substantially waterfree solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone, absolute ethyl alcohol, and dichlorodifiuoromethrne.

3. A hair styling composition for setting and lusterizing the hair by spray application, composed of polyvinylpyrrolidone and di-ethyl phthalate mutually dissolved as a. substantially water-free solution in ethyl alcohol in combination with dichlorodifiuoromethane as a propellant.

4. A substantially water-free hair styling preparation suitable for spray application for setting and lusterizing the hair, comprising from 4 to 8 percent of polyvinylpyrrolidone in an ethyl alcohol solution, and a propellant til selected from the group consisting of fluorochloromethanes and fiuorochloroethanes.

5. As a hair styling preparation, a substantially waterfree ethyl alcohol solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone in combination with dichloroditluorornethane as a propellant, for ettectingthe spray application of the solution onto hair.

6. A substantially water-free hair styling composition for spray application for setting and lusterizing the hair, comprising a mixture of at least 4 percent polyvinylpyrrolidone dissolved in alcohol, with a propellant selected from the group consisting of fluorochloromethanes and fluorochloroethanesr 7. A substantially water-free hair styling composition for spray application for setting and lusterizing the hair, comprising from 4% to 8% of polyvinylpyrrolidone in solution in absolute ethyl alcohol and, as a propellant, dichlorodifluoromethane.

8. A sprayable hair-preparation, comprising a substantially water-free alcoholic solution of polyvinylpyrrolidone and Freon.

9. A sprayable hair preparation comprising Freon, and a substantially water-free alcoholic solution of a product essentially consisting of polymerized units of the structure References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,167 Iddings Feb. 9, 1937 2,143,641 Bennett Jan. 10, 1939 2,305,356 ,Luckenbach Dec. 15, 1942 2,372,982 Richards Apr. 3, 1945 2,658,045 Schildknecht, Nov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 84,595 Argentina May 22, 1947 902,282 France Aug. 23, 1945 716,197 Germany Mar. 12, 1942 OTHER REFERENCES Goodhue: Low and Moderate Pressure Liquefiedas Aerosols, Ind. and Eng. Chem., July 1949, pp. 152.)- 1527.

Plasdone: G. A. F., New Product BulL, No. 1 -100, June 15, 1951, 22 pages.

Janistyn: Reichstofie, Seifen, Kosmetika, "-lutig Heidelberg, 1950, vol. I, pp. 256, 328 and 329; .11, pp. 159-164.

PVP," Gen. Aniline and Film Corp., N. Y. C., 1': 1951, pp. Ill-113,141, 142 and 146. Y

Cooper: Compressed Gas Aerosols Expand their Uses, Chem. Ind., December 17' '8, pp. 970, 97 t 1058.

Fulton: Propellants for Low-Pressure Liquefied Aerosols, Ind. and Eng. Chem, April 1948, pp. 699 and 700.

Lesser: Pressure Propelled Products, D. and C. Iinci, October 1949, pp. 396-398, 470-473.

Murat: Etude de certaines proprit chimiques et pharmacodynamiques de la polyvinylpyrrolidone, Produits Pharmaceutiques, August 1949, pp. 350-356. 

1. A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE SPRAYABLE LIQUID HAIR STYLING PREPARATION FOR APPLYING TO THE SURFACE OF THE HAIR FOR SETTING THE LUSTERIZING THE SAME, COMPRISING POLYVINYLPYRROLIDONE, ALCOHOL, AND A PROPELLANT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF FLUOROCHLOROMETHANES AND FLUOROCHLOROETHANES. 